What are you listening to right now?

[lonewolfny42]

Suzanne Vega - "Beauty & Crime"

[tmazz]

Steely Dan: The Royal Scam

MCA LP

[tmazz]

Just to clarify what I was trying to say, I didn't mean to imply that this release sounded bad, just that it did not sound better than the 30th Anniversary version. It is not horrible sounding in and of itself, but since it is not any better than the 30th Anniv. edition there is not reason to the dedicate cash nor shelf space that would be required to add it to my collection.

Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon (2011 Remaster from the "Why Pink Floyd?" series)

CD

Got a chance to give a quick listen to this last  on a good hi res system (MG IIIs, Dyna tube monoblocks, Cary Pre, EE DAC etc.) and compare it to the redbook layer of the 30th Anniv SACD Hybrid.  The first thing I noticed was that the new release was cut at a considerably higher overall level than the SACD (Warning Will Robinson!  ). Then I noticed that the amplitude peaks on "Time" (bells during the clock sequence and some of the noted during the guitar solos) seemed to have a jagged kind of distorted edge on them. This edge along with the overall high volume leads me to believe that what I am hearing is compressor artifacts an that this new release has been mastered with an eye towards the ipod crowd not toward overall best SQ.

Granted this is only a first impression after a relatively short listening session, but at least in my mind, this does not look promising. I would like to listen to it for a longer amount of time perhaps on another system before passing final judgement , but as of now this doesn't seem like it will be a good candidate to become #20.

Has anyone else listened to this disc and have any other comments they could offer?

[tmazz]

Frank Sinatra: Strangers in the Night

Reprise LP

Mint original Repise vinyl. IMO FRanks best work o the Reprise era.

[tmazz]

Dave Grusin: Discovered Again
Sheffield Labs Direct to Disc LP

[tmazz]

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: Buhaina - The Continuing Message

Affinity LP (British Import)

[tmazz]

The Greatest of Stan Getz

Royal Roost LP

[tmazz]

John Coltrane: Coltrane Time

Blue Note CD

[tmazz]

After a string of really good luck over the weekend I picke up  a couple of real stinkers at the library tonight.

Modern Jazz Quartet: 2 Degrees East, 3 Degrees West
Viper's Nest CD

A live recording rendered virtuall unlistenable by the huge amount of ambient crowd noise.


Liza Minelli: Confessions

Decca CD

Whoever enginnered this needs to go back to school and learn how to read a VU Meter. Every single vocal peaks is grossly over modulated. Real amatuer hour. I cannot believe a major label like Decca would let something like this out the door. 

[tmazz]

The Beatles: Love

Apple CD

Music to write posts by. 

Chose the CD over the LP so I wouldn't have to drag my butt out of the chair to flip sides. 

[etcarroll]

This was an awesome find.  Milt Jackson and Horace Silver on a 1955 recording date, on a minty deep groove Prestige heavy vinyl pressing.

--Jerome

Does it sound like an awesome find? I bet it does.

[etcarroll]

Minty vintage Mercury stereo pressing.  Superb music, great recording.  Highly recommended.

--Jerome

I've noticed Rugolo's name in the credits of the Kenton albums I got, guess I'll have to grab some of his work.

[etcarroll]

Frank Sinatra: Strangers in the Night

Mint original Repise vinyl. IMO FRanks best work o the Reprise era.

Tom - get this at the thrift store? I've been looking for clean copies of this and Only the Lonely for awhile.

[BobM]

Robbie Robertson (of "The Band" fame) - How to Become Clairvoyant

- This is a really nice album from someone who I don;t believe has released anything for many years. Hits of John Mayer blues based rock. Eric Clapton guests on a few tracks and I think wrote one or two also. Good stuff.

[jsaliga]

I've noticed Rugolo's name in the credits of the Kenton albums I got, guess I'll have to grab some of his work.

Pete Rugolo was Stan Kenton's chief arranger and right-hand man.

--Jerome